Nine Plead Guilty in Wise County Power Plant Protest

WISE, Va.—Nine of 11 people charged in a September protest at the coal-fired power plant under construction in Wise County pleaded guilty this morning and will serve no jail time.
Under an agreement, the nine pleaded guilty to criminal trespass and participating in an unlawful assembly. They were each sentenced to 30 days in jail, but the jail time was suspended. They must each pay a $200 fine, $200 in restitution to the county Sheriff’s Office and complete 25 hours of community service.
On Sept. 15, the protesters, most from out of state, locked themselves to steel drums at the site, where Dominion Virginia Power is building the controversial plant.
The two other protesters had work obligations Friday and are expected to plead guilty during a hearing later this month.
Find out what the protesters had to say in court in Saturday’s Bristol Herald Courier.